Wilco - “Art Of Almost”

I must apologize for the low quality of this song. The higher quality version is still not available. But I guess it’s completely worthwhile. Wilco decided to stream their upcoming full length The Whole Love for 24 hours

“as a reward for your labors, ours, and those of our forefathers and mothers”.

Well, to be honest, I was among the thousands of folks thinking a Yankee Hotel is not going to be repeated judging by the last two Wilco records. Their 2009’s eponymous was their most conventional and unchallenging effort of their last 10 years.

I came across streaming this at last. The vinyl started to spin and it felt so real. It was at this subtle moment of excitement when my mind clicked. The closest thing to the opening drum of “Art of Almost” was probably found in 2004’s Grammy-winning A Ghost Is Born. And then the sound of electronic effects! Hello? Is this a Wilco record? Because unexpectedly it sounds charming and creative after a long while. It’s definitely the most defying, determined and sophisticated track on the album. But, eventually, No! The remainder of the album is nothing close to Yankee. “Art of Almost” has all the fun you could get from the new Wilco album. It’s a brilliant multi-track rock ‘n roll grower. It has a little bit of everything and Jeff Tweedy’s vocals sits well on that foundation. It doesn’t sound as folky as he usually wants to be. There’s in fact enough time for him to expose that voice for the rest of the album.

Wait until September 27th and get The Whole Love. I wish it were still streaming there. I can’t really find joy listening to 128kbps anymore and probably neither can you.

Mavis Staples ft. Jeff Tweedy - “You Are Not Alone”

The title is in German. Believe me I’m not trying to nibble your brain out posing my new Swedish speaking abilities! There are some prerequisites to watch a movie lately in fact. Firstly, no assholes should be around. I simply stopped watching movies (especially classics and independent ones) with friends. No matter how bright they might be, there’s always a dork having to answer his phone call or starting to write messages on his/her cell, or taking deep sighs, or simply looking around your room. Thanks but no fucking thanks me fella! I’m just better off alone and in the dark. It gets even more annoying when you’re trying to play an already-watched film to them. It’s when they start acting peculiar in every possible way. So if you’re willing to watch a movie, reconsider the environment. You can’t watch a real movie amongst a high density of noise and disturbance. Just forget about it and postpone the shit to a better time. I’ve just stopped sharing those moments and I don’t think I’m ever going to regret that. It damages my brain when they throw out spontaneous irrelevant comments in the midst of all that beauty. Don’t! I remember once waking up at 4 a.m. and feeling like there’s nothing better to do than watching Jim Jarmusch’s Stranger Than Paradise. I now can firmly announce that it was nothing but artistic orgasm; So much purity running thru my veins.

I watched this 1974 German classic in complete peace, just the way I thought I should. The film is directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. I didn’t know him but looking at the annals, this one was possibly the highlight of his career. The translation of the title is Ali: Fear Eats the Soul. It’s just a comment that Ali (the protagonist) makes in the middle of the movie. Now those folks who are into these independent European types of cinema are aware of the zeitgeist. The movie has no such thing as special effects. There’s rare use of soundtrack (mostly Moroccan) played during the film and most notably the actings are poor (although that old woman played by Brigitte Mira has seemingly won an award for her performance). There are also no sign of a picturesque shot or colorful scenery. The film takes place in a cold atmosphere of a fanatic Germany abound with racism and discrimination.

With total frankness, it tells the story of a middle aged woman named Emmi (feel free to call her an elderly) who steps in a bar only to escape from the rain outside. There’s Arabic music heard in the bar. It’s annoying at first but you get along instantly. The woman orders a Cola. It looks so odd to the bar people, so a girl asks a bearded guy named Ali to dance with the lady out of the blue and that’s what Ali does. Next thing they know, they become acquainted and decide to marry after a couple of days. Of course that’s too troublesome for a German-Polish woman to marry an Arab who seems to speak German poorly and looks like an alien from another planet. They also begin to have problems. Nobody likes this Arab. People of the town start keeping their distance and isolating the poor woman. He used to work as a driver and is now a mechanic and she’s a maid. There mustn’t have been a good prospect. You might say it’s just too late for Emmi. Her now-grown-up children cannot tolerate the presence of a black head around their mom. Love is just not that simple I guess.

The beauty of the film lies under the twosome’s simple dialogues. Despite all those frozen looks, the death-all-around weather of the shots intensified by others’ bad impressions and the absence of delicacy in performing, I found myself flabbergasted by all this immaculate vibe between the two. The only thing they seem to have in common is language. So they share their feelings by plain simple dialogues a la “Do you want cognac?” or “Can you make couscous? (Apparently a Moroccan dish)”, the woman looks too lonely to lose this opportunity. Her husband died years ago. Ali seems to be her only true companion. He’s the only man on this planet who digests her dull but pure romance. He listens and that’s what matters. And so it begins: a romance formed by means of solitude. One that’s so free of races, age differences and even sexual yearnings. To Emmi, Ali is all that a man should be.

As the clock ticks by, you start to realize that it’s no longer the racism or German pride that overshadows the relationship. They both have their traumas. Emmi starts to feel so outcast and Ali makes up his mind to try alternatives for a while. But that’s just transient. The thing is: people actually envy this courtship. It’s not about prejudging any more. Looking at people’s pathetic lives, Emmi is apparently the only citizen of this country that has broken free from all that junk stereotypes. She’s naively chosen the right path. So nobody can stand seeing them happy together. Ali – confused by disgusting reactions – is suddenly talk of the town. He even has a good body. Emmi finds him quite deserving unconditionally. Now ain’t that really something? That’s what people cannot get by. But being a widowed working class nobody, you might find yourself in the same situation. We all might find ourselves so beleaguered by loneliness. There must always be someone to hear us, someone to drink coffee with us, someone to take a shower in our tiny apartments, someone not necessarily of the same color or country.

We’re dwelling in a post-modern village where romance always comes second. Although the story is told some 36 years ago, it still makes a lot of sense to me. Racism might be in the process of disappearing nowadays but our unbearable solitude remains just the same. Even when we’re with someone, even in the middle of a wild party it can easily overtake you. You may find yourself married with kids, but there’s always a void you’re killing yourself to fill. Was it all an outcome of the industrial revolution or is it just a passing phase. No one knows, we just live. We only exist to follow some safe patterns. That’s where we get so goth in our post-modernism.

And by the way don’t you find this pleasant patience in all these independent films? When it’s Hollywood, it’s always like an adrenaline rush. You go “Where are you running Matt Damon? What’s all the fuss about Denzel?” Just thinking about a film like The Bourne Identity makes me go insane. But when it’s about independence pictures, there are really no hurries. No FBI’s are pursuing you all the time. No doomsday is imminent and no asteroids are hitting the earth. There’s always time for reflection, to enjoy the slow-life, to discharge a great burden of anxiety. Not that Hollywood must be rejected or thrown away. But you should keep the balance all the time and that’s what I think I’m doing when it comes to cinema.

Update: Sorry for the inconvenience with the first version of the song. Working now.